Super Rugby Pacific playoff picture: How Blues can secure top spot

Taufa Funaki of the Blues scores a try against the Highlanders. Photo / Photosport

There are just two rounds of action left in the Super Rugby Pacific regular season. The Blues currently hold top spot and can secure the number one seed this weekend if results go their way.

Here’s how the quarter-finals can play out.

1 Blues v 8 Fijian Drua

Vern Cotter’s team hold pole position and can secure top spot with a win in Christchurch followed by a Hurricanes defeat to the Chiefs. The Blues last finished first in 2022, before losing to the Crusaders in the final.

The Drua sit two points clear of the Force and can lock up a playoff spot with a win this Sunday, if the Force fail to beat the Reds the previous night. The Drua can still finish as high as fifth but seems highly unlikely due to a -87 points differential. However, the Rebels and Highlanders are within range especially with a trip to Dunedin this weekend.

Previous encounter: February 24 (week one) Blues 34 Fijian Drua 10

Games remaining: Blues (@ Crusaders, v Chiefs); Fijian Drua (@ Highlanders, v Reds).

2 Hurricanes v 7 Highlanders

The two teams meet in the final round in Wellington next week, and then look set to clash a week later at the same venue. Not ideal. To get back into first place, the Hurricanes will need the Blues to trip up against the Crusaders or Chiefs. Which can’t be ruled out. The Highlanders are only three points back from the Rebels and could leapfrog them with a win over the Drua and a Rebels defeat to the Brumbies.

Previous encounter: March 30 (week six) Hurricanes 47 Highlanders 12

Games remaining: Hurricanes (@ Chiefs, v Highlanders); Highlanders (v Fijian Drua, @ Hurricanes).

3 Brumbies v 6 Rebels

Another local derby on the cards as the Brumbies (10-2) hold third by one point over the Chiefs and the Rebels sitting three clear of the Highlanders in sixth. The Brumbies and Rebels clashed way back in round one and meet again on Friday. The Brumbies will like to have a home quarter-final locked in before the final regular-season trip to Perth.

Previous encounter: February 26 - Brumbies 30 Rebels 3

Games remaining: Brumbies (v Rebels, @ Force). Rebels (@ Brumbies, @ Fijian Drua).

4 Chiefs v 5 Reds

The Chiefs (10-3) finish the regular season by facing the top two teams. The Reds (6-6) end the regular season against the Force and bottom-placed Waratahs. The Chiefs eliminated the Reds in the quarter-final stage last year, before going on to lose the final. A big win over the Hurricanes this week and the Chiefs could move into second before a week 15 game at Eden Park.

Previous encounter: March 9 - Reds 25 Chiefs 19

Games remaining: Chiefs (v Hurricanes, @ Blues); Reds (v Force, @ Waratahs).

On the outer

9th Force - Two points back from Fijian Drua. Finish season @ Reds, v Brumbies.

10th Crusaders - Six points from eighth. Need wins over the Blues and Moana Pasifika and other results to go their way to finish in top eight.

11th Moana Pasifika - Seven points out of eighth spot despite having one more win than the Crusaders. Face Waratahs at home then away to the Crusaders.

12th Waratahs - Nine points out and have told their coach he’s not coming back next year. End the regular season against Moana Pasifika and the Reds.

That is one juicy looking race to the finals!

Where is your team standing after round 13?#SuperRugbyPacific pic.twitter.com/Vs2Lra8f25

— Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 18, 2024